The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-04-14

The rise begins at Syene, and IN an
cient days the priests, in gorgeous gar
ments, with music and solemn lncanta-
ton chanted their hymns, and speeded
forward the torrent rushing toward the
thirsty sands. That solemnity was the
orandest event of the year, and was
celebrated with incredible pomp. A
lovely virgin of noble birth was crowned
with garlands, and thrown into the
river, the bride of the Nile, to insure a
plentiful inundatiOn and generous har-
vest.
The Arab conquerOr abolished the
heather sacrifice, and the river did nct
rise for three months after the usual time
of increase. The people were fright
ened, and Amrou wrote to Caliph Oma1
to tell what was done, and of the
threatened calamity. Omar returned
brief answers, expressing appreciation
of Amrou's action, and enclosing, IN a
letter, a note to be thrown into the
Nile. 1t ran as follows: From ABB
Allah, Prince of the Faithful, to the Nile
of Egypt. If thou fiowest OF thine
own accord, then cease to flow; but II
it be God, the Almighty, who causeth
thee to flow, then we implOre God, the
One, the mighty, to let thee flow"
Amrou obeyed the command of the
Caliph, and 10! the river rose sixteen
cubits the following night. In Cairo
the breaking of the Nile is still cele-
brated. The dahabeeyahs are illu-
mined with lanterns and dressed with
flags, little boats fly across the twink
ling waters, and the air resounds with
melancholy hymns of women in chorus
of song, ending in wailings any thing
but festal to our ears. In the tents on
shore are dancers, musicians, reci5ers,
laughter and feasting, vari-colored
lights, and dazzle of bright arms and
costume.
At midnight the men begin to work
on the dyke, and at daybreak the Khe-
dive and attendant officials, in splendid
uniforms, appear in tent overlooking
the embankment, and testify that the
Nile has reached the height for burst
ing the dyke. The testimonial is for
warded to the Sultan. The Khedive
scatters small coin in the shallow edge
of the river, the poor dive for them in
the mud, and evil-minded and malicious
tourists say the small coin grows small
er, and fewer in number, every year.
There are misty legends that the
bride of the Nile is now represented by
a waxen image of girl, blooming and
decked in bridal robes; but [ could find
no foundation in truth for the story
Nor could [ learn when and where it
was the custom to seal a mummy finger
in costly casket, and fling it an offer
ing to the god of the bursting river
One remnant of the obsolete cere-
mony survives in the rigging of a large
boat called Akabeh by the Arabs. 1t is
painted in brightest colors and illum-
ined with fiaring lamps and streamers.
You may leave Cairo in the afternoon
on this sacred vessel, and sail to the
Isle of Rhoda Cor roses), and from its
deck watch the night-long pageant.
In the rosy glow of morning rockets
and cannon, and thunderous shouts OF
multitudee announce that the Nile has
risen.
At Rhoda, the traveller may see the
NilOmeter or measuPer of the overflow
"a deep well connected with the river
by subterranean canal, so the height
of the water in the well is precisely that
of the Nile. In the center is an ex-
ceedingly slender eight-sided pillar, on
which exact markings of the rise are
kept. Under twenty-four feet gives a
scant harvest; under eighteen feet
means famine for thousands. The six
teenth cubit indicated on the Nilometer
is called the ''Sultan's water" the
annual tax being RENTED if the river
fails of this height
The visitor may 90 down the steps
q did not,) and read for himself the
record, and find the water level. And
from thisexquisite isle-ah, how that
beautiful sight comes back to me now
he has the finest view of the most i'm
posing of oriental ceremonials. A
miracle play of night and day, so afiame
with shifting color, and alive with
movement and resonant minstrelsy,
that our widest festivals in comparison
are poor, tame and dull.
No words of mine can give an idea of
the Babel of language, the tumultuous
rejoicing, always within the limits of
decency and sobriety. Maskers in form
less mantles glide like ghosts through
the crowd, and what wild uproar when
one is discovered through his disguise
and struggles away again to some
shadowy column, which may screen him
from the searching blaze of the lair
terms! A sense of the superhuman
comes to the mind of one for the first
time watching the swelling waters,
which rise silently and surely, as though
predestined by fate, and without rain or
storm appear impelled by some magic
underswell.
Christian and Mohammedan infiu-
ences, through centuries, have been I'M
able to make the fellahs. or peasants
comprehend that the Nile is any thing
but the direct gift of God. And the
workers in the fields give him the glory
of the indescribable green, and the
mellow grain with fat ears, which repay
the sower hundredfold.
AT all hours, in all times and places.
there is fearless recognition of religion;
constant reference to the presence of
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